Quality vs Quantity

Quality trumps quantity every time, especially when it comes to writing. A few well-written words are worth more than copious substandard words. Just think about poetry, for instance. It’s all about brevity and choice—finding just the right word. I believe the same goes for any type of writing. WRITE TIGHT! It’s a mantra I tried to drill into my students when I taught English.

But wait… Is there ever a time when writing more is better? If we expand our thinking beyond words, there are scenarios when this is the case. Writing the next book—and then the next and the next, will eventually result in a whole body of work that can, eventually, have more impact than one book alone. This also applies to blog posts. A backlist of material, whether it be blog posts, books, or magazine articles adds credibility and establishes authority. They are valuable assets whose sum really is greater than their parts.

For example, they can be used for marketing and promotional purposes. Recycle your own writing in different ways. An excerpt can become a blog post, a blog post can become a magazine article, an article can be used in an email. Mix and match for social media posts! The more backlist you have the more material you have to draw from and the more creative you can become!

Combine books into a “boxed set” or collection, articles and stories into an anthology. Conversely, use excerpts as reader magnets or even publish episodes separately as serialized installments.

Quantity is important—even essential—if you want to expand your reach and find new readers. However, no amount of material will cut it if it isn’t well written… Which brings us full circle to the quality aspect of writing. Quality must come first. For those serious about writing, the two must go hand in hand.

This article was first published on InScribe Writers’Online blog in May of 2024